


Out In Open

by kusattame



Category: One Piece
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 07:06:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14910672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kusattame/pseuds/kusattame
Summary: Things never go as what they seem in Sunny.





	Out In Open

Brook had lived long enough to watch the generations change, the governors change, the world’s order change, even witnessed the young rookie to whom he played songs and shared his sake became the king of pirates, then the execution of him. Brook witnessed more, he even witnessed the execution of that cheerful boy’s son. As he continued to live, he would see the next pirate king too, and to be honest, it was the future that excited him more because Luffy always found a way to surprise them, and he was sure being the king would not put an end to his captain’s extra.

Then there was their promise with Laboon, the only bridge to his past, and he was looking forward to filling it.

Brook could be the crew’s busiest member after Sanji who kept on cooking from dawn to the midnight. He himself was responsible for cheering their crew up. Every dinner, every breakfast, every lunch ended up with one of his songs. Luffy demanded to be woken up with music every morning, and Robin frequently asked for him to play classical pieces during her hours-long reading.

Then there were the silent requests, like when Zoro decided to take a nap on the deck. He’d do that when he wanted to listen the light music Brook played when everyone dealt with something. The other one was their navigator. After a long day’s rush, she would stand by the swing and stare long into the ocean, then Brook would play her the folk songs of east blue, knowing she had just missed her home.

No matter how busy he was, he had never missed the way his crew acted, or how they felt. Throughout the eighty years of lifespan, the most prominent thing he had come to see was the change which applied to everything except one thing.

Whenever he lived, or wherever he went, he recognized the pull between two people. Be it just an attraction, or downright love, he knew what was what and who meant what for who.

Three days into his acceptance to the crew, Brook sensed the tension between those two.

Stolen glances, barely there touches, biting comments, all the signs were out in open. Sometimes they acted like they too knew about the obvious pull between them, but the other times they barely spoke to each other. It was starting to wear the skeleton out because he wanted every member on the crew to be their happiest.

He waited for something to happen naturally, but the thing never came. So he started to pick clues and information around to blend them together and create the magic.

What he needed was the thing he happened to saw the night before.

Brook did not need any sleep at all, no. Form that reason, he often offered to take night watches. That night, too, he was on the watch despite he had no eyes to watch, but it was another story. It was calm, except for the sudden change in the weather. He sipped his tea and worked on the newest composition of his until he heard the noises coming from the kitchen. With one last glance around to make sure there was no other ship around, he made his way to the kitchen.

What he saw there was suggestive, open to interpretation after being provided with explanation, but definitely something he would make sure to use for the good.

That was why he pulled the swordsman into a corner after the breakfast with determination burning deep in his non-existent eyes. It was just a mystery for Zoro.

“What do you want,” he asked expressionlessly but deep down, he feared it would come to the thing happened the night before.

“I need a favor to ask, Zoro-san.”

“What is it?”

“You will go to the Cook-san and ask for him to prepare a dinner for two.”

“That does not sound like a favor,” Zoro pointed out.

“Actually it is not, but I was trying to be nice.” 

He clicked his tongue, “There’s no way I’m going near that rolling brows.”

“So is it the part where I blackmail you into the thing,” Brook hummed thoughtfully, scratching his chin.

“You can try.”

“Well, I have a ballad about two lovers who meet after their crew goes to sleep, and enjoy their time in the kitchen. By enjoy, I mean many things, as you can recall clearly. I’m sure Luffy-san and the others will be glad to hear the song.”

“You wouldn’t,” narrowing his eyes at the man, Zoro checked around quickly for an eavesdropper.  

Brook chuckled happily, “There’s nothing that can stop me, is there?”

“Why do I have to do it? Just go use your card against the cook, he has more to lose after all.” Zoro could imagine the cook crying for Brook’s mercy because ‘what would the ladies think of him’.

“For several reasons, I’m sure Sanji-san would refuse my offer.”

Zoro stared at the old man, trying to understand exactly what he was trying to do. There was no one around Brook’s age for him to take them to a dinner. Was he playing some else’s wingman? Okay but of whom? Or why did he specifically choose Zoro as the target? Unless he had anything to do with this obvious dinner date, Brook wouldn’t come to him, would he?

Then the last night’s events came into his mind. Brook listened to their explanations carefully, but he seemed too lost in his own mind. Could it be that he- In any way, he thought? Thought he could set them up?

The position they had been in was open to many interpretations and even Zoro himself turned red from recalling it. So Brook put two and two together and thought it would be best to court them.

_ Pffft. _

“Where do you get the thought that he will do as I say? I know you have no eyes- please don’t take offend-”

“None taken,” Brook reassured him with a trademark laugh.

“Whatever, we don’t have a relationship where I can show up and demand things. It will end up as a fight where I’ll hundred percent be the winner but still!”

“I don’t care how you do it, I’m more invested in the results and it is going to be a two-person dinner for tonight.”

Zoro was dumbstruck, he would have never guessed one of his crewmates would blackmail him into something. And the wisest one of them.

He thought about finding Brook and telling him to shove the song up his ass, but it was Brook. Zoro had a certain scale of respect for several people and Brook was one of them.

Zoro had never been a fan of too much thinking so he decided to just get on with it. He would show up in the kitchen, tell Sanji to prepare a two people dinner without asking a question. His deal was cooking, after all, and he cooked all day long so he wouldn’t mind something like this either.

Just to be cautious, Zoro could leave his insults aside, but just for the occasion.

Brook might have thought he was being sly but Zoro got all of his intentions, he wouldn’t just play into Brook’s hand. His love life was his business, especially the thing with the cook because there was barely a thing to start with, let alone having a stupid date. It was still a wonder how he had managed to think of Sanji as a potential significant other.

There were more important things for them to deal first, like to learn how to keep their swords and kicks to themselves for five minutes in each other’s presence. Or figuring out if it was really something that they felt mutually or just a heat of the moment. Oh- then there was the ladies issue, Sanji had to get over them, he had to just understand he should stop acting like an idiot and accept whatever Zoro was willing to give him. Give whatever he had to Zoro and Zoro only.

Damn it, he couldn’t take the things slowly in his head, how was he going to act normal for God’s sake!?

The way to the kitchen took shorter than he expected and without a second thought, he kicked his way in like he always did.

“Then I used my newest technique on him, I don’t have a name for it yet but I’ll find something fancy.”

“Oooooh…”

Usopp and Chopper were sitting on the dinner table and exchanging their stories from Zou and Dressrosa. Sanji was busy with a dough, his hands working fast, a smile tugged on his lips which surprisingly did not fall when he saw Zoro barging in.

Instead, it turned into something evil.

“Say, Usopp, exactly how many men did our marimo-kun take down?”

Zoro’s eyebrow twitched with irritation. They had a long way to go and he was sorry for himself because he had to fall for this amazing brows.

“No more than ten, he barely took down that Pica.”

“It was twenty-eight,” he corrected and Usopp choked on his drink, “And a giant stone guy.”

“Oh, Zoro! You were here?” Chopper waved at him and patted the chair next to his, “Come sit down, Sanji made us cookies.”

Zoro wanted to tell them to vanish but they were just kids and Nami would break his bones if he acted rude to them.

“No, I won’t stay long,” he waved back to the young doctor and told the first lie came to his mind “By the way Luffy caught a giant sea fox, it was insane.”

It took only a few seconds for them to vanish as he wished.

“So Luffy caught a sea-fox,” Sanji repeated, slurring around words because of the cigarette between his lips. He was still shaping the dough, eyes hidden by his bangs.

His hair got longer recently and Zoro definitely was not complaining. It suited his face and style, softening his features in a pleasant way.

“Uh-huh,” he responded back, grateful that the man’s attention was somewhere else.

“It was insane,” Sanji mirrored his words, voice changing to low.

“For some, it might be.”

“Why are you here? To piss me off?”

It was then Zoro realized he was standing awkwardly in the doorway. He shifted some and remembered his initial intention to come. However, he couldn’t hold down his inner bitch.

“Pissing you off? As far as I can recall, It was you snickering here about how many men I took down.”

“It is not the point, marimo, the point is the ones you couldn’t,” Sanji turned his head to give him a cheeky grin and Zoro let out a humorless laugh.

“Ha ha ha.”

“Seriously, why are you here,” the blonde asked, and added with concern, “Hungry?”

“No, I want you to prepare a dinner for two tonight.”

“Pardon me?”

Zoro felt uncomfortable under the cook’s piercing gaze, “You heard me, a dinner-”

“Since when I work as your personal chef?”

Zoro gave him a credit there, it was a stupid request, all because of Brook, there was no way for th-

“Or wait! Don’t tell me you have a date!” Blue eyes went wide with shock and glinted dangerously, “So you decided it’s best to multiply and provide the world with more marimos!”

Rolling his eyes, Zoro waited for blonde’s howling laughter to fade away. He’d bite back if he hadn’t been forced into this situation.

Wiping the imaginary tears off of his eyes, Sanji resumed his work with the dough, shaping the last pieces of him like meat, meant to be their captain’s.

“What do you want me to cook?”

“Huh?”

“What should I prepare for the night? I’ll manage something for you but for the other poor soul-”

“The other poor soul would do okay with anything,” Zoro cut in, still wondering why he hadn’t corrected the cook about it being a date or why he hadn’t told it was all Brook’s doing.

Sanji, on the other hand, felt betrayed, although he didn’t know why the hell he would feel like that. Marimo was allowed to date whomever he wished, within the rules of the ship, it was not Sanji’s business. However, Zoro could be counted as one of his best friends, the man inspired him about his dream, fueled up his will to fight.

Never ever in his life, Sanji would guess Zoro would go out of his stupid way to date with someone. Actually, as he put much thought into it, the man had always been a sucker at going on a straight path so it was not a wonder. 

Anyway, there was this ugly feeling in his gut about getting left behind, about losing to someone or worse about losing someone.

An ugly feeling as he stated.

“So will you do it or no?”

Sanji studied the marimo who seemed to be lost in thought. He acted as if he wanted to get rid of Sanji, impatiently tapping the floor under his feet.

What Sanji said afterwards surprised himself because he had prepared food for hundreds of people at once by himself, he did his job as a professional and certainly did not need any other hand to help him. Ever. Yet he said the words with more anger than necessary, it was not Zoro’s fault that he was feeling things that caused him to do selfish things.

“No, I won’t, you algae, we will.”

“We will,”

“You don’t expect me to prepare it alone, just like that? Do you think I work magic here?”

“C’mon curly, you overcame much worse.”

“Start with washing some rice, three cups of it will be enough,”  _ Ignore the marimo, ignore the feels, _ Sanji repeated to himself and after a second thought added,  “If you behave, I may help you to find true clothes.”

The swordsman scoffed but he made his way to the storeroom where kept the dry ingredients. “Don’t say it like it’s something for me to be grateful.”

“Of course it is! Do you plan on going with this bathrobe?”

It hurt to admit but it could be the best bathrobe around. After two years break to their journey, Zoro returned as a fashionista, really, that haramaki suited him better than anything else. Putting that and his body structure together, the man was drop-dead gorgeous. No wonder he had a  _ date.’ _

“Well, better than going around looking like a duck.”

“I will poison you and your other half.”

Zoro laughed at that evilly and Sanji let it slide, for once.

By the time they put the salad on the table, it was starting to get dark, indicating they managed to finish just in time. They prepared a Japanese meal for Zoro and steak for his guest. Sanji worked very carefully, though as the time passed, the need for flipping the table over grew bigger.

Zoro helped him a lot indeed, without putting up any protest. The whole preparation went smoothly, Sanji almost enjoyed the company of marimo who was watching him across the table.

“Are you sure about the candles?”

“Yes, every person of taste favors them.” Sanji waited for an insult but none came. Instead, the man leaned on his elbows and talked softly.

“So you like them.”

“Yes I do,” Sanji sighed and took out a cigarette, “I bought them from an old lady, their aroma will compromise the meal, and sharpen your senses without giving off any sharp smell.”

“They are just sticks,” Zoro emphasized his words with gesturing towards the candles or Sanji- to his cigarette.

“I don’t expect you to understand,” he meant that for the two.

A comfortable silence fell inside the kitchen and continued until the blonde took the last drag from his death stick.

“Come on,” he got up and eyed the table for one last time, “Let’s get you changed.”

“You don’t have to-”

Sanji shut him down with a sharp glance. “Shut your hole for awhile marimo, I want to!”

They headed to the men’s quarter in silence, Zoro following his steps few paces behind. Inside, Sanji dug his closet for ‘suitable clothes’, and shrugged off the awkwardness of the case. When he finally found the neatest match, he was cut off by a cough.

“Look, cook,” Zoro started, looking anywhere but him. “I have to tell you something.”

“If it’s a ‘thanks’, save that.”

The swordsman shook his head, “No, about this dating thing... It’s not a date.”

Sanji frowned but gestured for him to continue.

“It’s not my plan either, Brook told me to do so.”

“What has Brook got to do something with it,” he wondered out loud.

“I don’t know.”

Zoro seemed as clueless as he was so he took pity on the man.

“So the dinner?”

“I guess… it’s meant for us. I mean he told me to do it and didn’t lay out any details, it’s the only option.”

It all sounded like a joke, a one that excited the cook. Zoro was watching him expectantly, dead on serious.

“Oh.” He waited for some time to process the situation. “I was wondering why Luffy hadn't barged in even for once.”

“So what do you say?”

“Say what,” Sanji asked, confused.

“You are such a dumbass,” Zoro groaned and raked a hand through his hair, his earrings clicking sweetly, “Let’s have a dinner together.”

Having done with thinking, Sanji spoke boldly, “It would be a waste if I refuse, it’s meant to be for two after all.” He threw the clothes at the man, giving a clear sign to change, “Come on, be quick! I don’t want the meal to get cold.”

“You said yes,” Zoro looked after him with unbelieving eyes, then breaking into a smile, “Yes!”

Their way back to the kitchen was much better, they walked side by side, bumping into each other like a pair of teens in love.

“Sanji san! Zoro san!” A melodic voice took their attention from one another to the owner of the voice, Brook. “I was looking for you everywhere!”

Zoro shrugged and Sanji took it as a sign for him to speak. “Anything wrong?”

“No, contrary to that, everything is perfect! All thanks to you two!” Brook grinned widely and checked them out for a few seconds, “Why are you dressed so nicely, Zoro-san, you look like a duck.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look!” The tall man ignored the question and pointed out the kitchen.

Both look at where he pointed at and froze. There sat two people of their crew, Robin on the one side of the table and Franky on the other side, having a conversation while drinking wine Sanji had chosen for the marimo and his date.

“Oi marimo,” he called, his voice shaking with anger, or a bubbling laughter and Zoro held onto his shoulder with the same feelings. Maybe a bit of shame.

“I will kick your soul down to hell,” Sanji whispered when he took in the sight before him.  _ His dear Robin-chwan- _

“Not before I do the same with this grandpa,” Zoro growled and gripped one of his swords with his free hand.

“It’s rude to call me that!” Brook furrowed his non-existent brows, “What’s wrong with you?”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo I wrote this little thing as a sequel to "Out" and tried to give it a tiny plot twist! Hope you like it all, thanks for your support!


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